Safety box toe and protector



w. H. BAYNARD ET AL SAFETY BOX TOE AND PROTECTOR Filed 061;. 15, 1930 20' M fizwg Q WW1 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. BAYNABD, OI BOSTON, AND HARRY G. HCMUBBAY, OI WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO BECKWITH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 01' BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS SAFETY BOX TOE AND PROTECTOR Application filed October 15, 1930. Serial No. 488,864.

This invention relates to safety box toes for work shoes which have the purpose of protecting the toes of a wearer from accidental injury due to heavy objects falling thereon. Heretofore it has been the practice to incorporate such a box in the shoe upper and while some protection has been afforded this does not permit a sufliciently strong construction in many cases. Heavy thermoplastically stiffened material has often been used since metal has been found dangerous as it bends permanently when subjected to a heavy blow and prevents ready removal of the foot after deformation even if it does not cut or otherwise seriously injure the foot when the deformation is effected.

In accordance with the present invention the safety box is not incorporated in the body of the shoe upper but is made as a separate piece and fastened on the outside of the shoe. It may then be made of metal, since it is spaced from the foot by the entire thickness of the upper materials of the shoe, including, if desired, a heavy thermoplastically stiffened stifi'ening element, so that it can not present a sharp cutting edge to the foot even if it be deflected. As 1t is on the outside of the shoe, moreover, it can be reinforced with stiffening ribs or corrugations which greatly increase its strength to resist blows.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective of the box.

Figure 2 is a top plan of a molded box blank which may be cut into a pair of boxes.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the toe portion of the shoe with the box applied, the section for the box being substantially on line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, in Figure 2 is shown a preferably metal blank having pressed therein a large central depression 2 surrounded by a narrow flat marginal flange 3. This depression has also formed therein pairs of intersecting outwardly extending ribs 4 and 5. After being pressed in this manner this blank is out through as along the line to form a pair of rifght and left shell portions as at 7 each con orming generall to the shape of the toe of a shoe over whic it may be placed as shown in Figure 4 with its rear mar in formed adjacent to the cut 6 as at 8 close embracing the toe portion of the shoe at a out the rear end of the usual tip 9 and with the flange portion 3 integral therewith overlying the upper face only of the sole extension ed e 10 of the shoe.

As best shown in igures 1 and 4, the sole may have struck therefrom adjacent to its lower edge portions 12 which may be bent inwardly into the plane of the flange 3 to form inward continuations thereof. Where these portions are thus bent inwardly the material is perforated as at 15 for the reception of headed fastening elements such as screws 16 (Figure 4) which are passed through the openings 15 and threaded into the sole extensions. The openings 17 formed by striking inwardly the portions 12 permit the heads 16 of the fastening elements to project inwardly of the shell 7 so that the fastening means may be set sufliciently far inwardly from the edge of the sole extension for proper securing therein. When applied to the shoe in this manner the rib 4 extends transversely from side to side of the cap forwardly of the portion 8 which closely engages the outer face of the shoe. This portion 8 acts to prevent the entry of dirt or other foreign matter between the shoe and the inner face of the cap which elsewhere may be spaced somewhat from the shoe upper. From this rib 4 the rib 5 extends forwardly over the forward end of the toe and down to the flange 3. These ribs thus add materially to the strength of the cap to resist deformation due to the falling of heavy objects thereon and since the cap is placed on the outside of the shoe, these stiflening ribs cause no difliculty in the manufacture of the shoe as would be the case were the cap incorporated in the body of the upper materials at the toe. The protecting stiffener is thus entirely above the shoe sole so that it is out of contact with the ground when in use. This not only prevents it from becoming hot when the shoe is worn on a hot floor but also keeps it out of electrical conductivity to the ground thus preventin possibility of short circuit to ground throug the stifiener when the shoe is worn in proximity to electrical machinery. By forming the stifl'eners in pairs from a single sheet of metal as shown in Figure 2 not only is the formation rendered easier in view of the continuous marginal flange 3 but also the formation'of an equal number of rights and lefts is assured without particular atten- 1 tion being paid thereto.

From the foregoing description of an em bodiment of this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the spirit or scope of 1 the invention as defined by the appended claim.

We claim:

A toe protector comprising a rigid shell 2 formed to enclose the toe portion of a shoe and provided with a marginal flange at its lower edge to overlie and be secured to the extension edge of a shoe sole, tongues struck inwardly from the lower portion of said shell 2 above said flange and brought into the plane thereof to form inward extensions thereof, said flange adjacent to said struck ortions being perforated for the reception of headed fastening elements for securing said shell to the sole extension edge of the shoe, the heads of said fastenings projecting through the shell openings at said struck portions.

In testimony whereof we have aflixed our signatures.

85 WILLIAM H. BAYNARD.

HARRY G. MQMURRAY. 

